Dragged to death under bus

Hated ... 'bendy' London bus

A SCREAMING man aged 21 was killed by a “bendy” bus – as it dragged him under its wheels for a MILE.

Tragic Lee Beckwith got his clothes trapped in the door after he left his mobile phone on board and tried to hop back on.

The driver of the 16-tonne, 60ft articulated bus – which bends in the middle – failed to spot him and pulled away. Horrified passers-by dialled 999 after seeing Lee being dragged along the road for TEN minutes.

A gruesome trail of debris – including Lee’s boots – was scattered along the bus’s East London route.

Cops found what was left of his body in Romford – a mile from where he had got off the No25 in Ilford on his way to work as a tiler.

The unsuspecting driver aged 57 continued to Stratford Bus Station – a few miles down the road.

He clocked off still unaware of the horror.

Distraught

Boots ... bus's death trail yesterday

Cops later arrested him on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Lee’s girlfriend, who lived with him in Brentwood, was being comforted last night.

Unwieldy bendy buses – hated by other London road users – were introduced by the capital’s mayor Ken Livingstone. They have been notorious for bursting into flames – just two weeks ago a No25 on the same route as the death bus caught fire.

In March 2005, the entire fleet was temporarily withdrawn for modifications.

Tory Boris Johnson – Livingstone’s rival to be mayor – has vowed to scrap them.

Drivers faced traffic chaos yesterday as cops probing Lee’s death cordoned off bloodstained roads.

Police issued an appeal for witnesses. One said: “We are keen to speak to any passengers on the bus and anyone who was in the area.”

icSouthlondon - Livingstone got plenty of free gifts: "Livingstone got plenty of free gifts

Dec 13 2006



A LISTissued by the London Assembly reveals Mayor Ken Livingstone got hundreds of pounds worth of free gifts in six months.

Among the freebies was a leather-bound notebook from former US president Bill Clinton. There was also a silver tea caddy from the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, a painting of old Moscow from Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and a crystal paperweight from Holland.

The mayor was given the notebook in September after he attended the annual meeting of President Clinton's Global Initiative group in New York.

A spokeswoman for the mayor said it was not possible to put a value on the book - but all declared gifts are judged as being worth more than �25.

Slightly less impressive was the payment from polling experts Mori to Green Party representative Darren Johnson.


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Mr Johnson, who also serves on Lewisham council, was paid for answering questions about his attitude to the oil industry.

But he did better than fellow Green Jenny Jones and Southwark and Lambeth representative Val Shawcross, who did not receive anything worth more than �25.

Maybe they could learn from the assembly chairman Brian Coleman.

The Conservative representative for Barnet and Camden in north London got two tickets to Wimbledon, complete with lunch and refreshments, and another two tickets to see the glam disco band Scissor Sisters.

The register covers all gifts and hospitality from June to November.The previous register, covering between September last year and May this year, showed the mayor picking up 59 gifts worth more than �25.

Among the gifts were 12 boxes of vitamins, eight tins of Turkish coffee and a DVD of The Wizard Of Oz.

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congestion charge - Ken’s 212% Conjestion Charge Hike Will Hit Families Hardest.: "Ken’s 212% Conjestion Charge Hike Will Hit Families Hardest.

4th December 2006 15:02:38

If you thought the mayor of London’s latest proposal to increase the congestion charge from �8 to �25 would just hit 4x4 drivers, think again.

The SMMT - the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, has put together examples of 10 family cars - people carriers, estates and family salons that will also be liable for this 212% hike in the central London motoring tax, based on findings from an independent source, VCA data.

So if you drive any of these petrol models - Vauxhall Zafira, Renault Espace or Seat Alhambra on a 2.0 litre, Jaguar X-type 2.5 litre, Peugeot 407 estate 2.2 litre, Honda Accord estate 2.4 litre, Ford Mondeo estate 2.0 litre, Saab 9-3 estate 2.3 litre, VW Passat saloon, 1.8 litre turbo tiptronic or Citroens C5 saloon 3.0 litre - your tax band falls into the same as 4x4 that of G which means 225g/km of CO2.

But of course, dear old Ken seems to have forgotten that families like to travel abroad with their families or caravans, hence the estates, and that all children must have their own seats, hence people carriers while other families enjoy the comfort of a saloon to get sway from the ‘mumsy’ look.

So yet again the families are being hit on, families who already pay the penalty through higher road tax and fuel costs. 'Buy I diesel ' I hear you cry. Well, there is not much incentive as the initial cost is higher than petrol variants and fuel but a few pennies cheaper.

I suppose the incentive could be this preposterous proposal. But drivers across the UK be warned, whilst the congestion charge is in London, it won’t be long before it hits all major cities. I fell another car protest coming on."

Ken Wont Take No For An Answer (from Ealing Times): "Ken won't take no for an answer
By David Doyle
Comment

MAYOR of London Ken Livingstone is under fire again after it was revealed he has spent more than �1 million repeatedly asking the public if they want the west London tram - and they are still telling him 'no.'

Councillor Jason Stacey has accused Mr Livingstone of ignoring Ealing residents' view by repeatedly ploughing taxpayers' money into consultations even though the public are saying they don't want it.

And now a Capital Radio Freedom of Information Act request has exposed that the cost of these consultations has now topped �1 million.
continued...

Speaking on the radio station Jason Stacey said: 'It does surprise me in terms of the high cost of the consultations, especially as we actually could have told him the outcome probably from the start.

'Mayor Livingstone has continued despite the local election results earlier this year, so it's really no surprise now that he is going to ignore the residents once again and carry on.

'I suspect the only time he'll actually listen is when the electorate kick him out.

'He's had the poll results, the people of the area have spoken quite clearly, yet he's decided to proceed. I don't see how that is a good use of taxpayers' money.'

The most recent polls show 44 per cent of people are against the tram with 40 per cent in favour of it."

London Olympics 'are going exactly to plan': "London Olympics 'are going exactly to plan'

LONDON'S 2012 Olympics are going 'exactly according to plan', mayor Ken Livingstone has said despite the spiralling costs.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell revealed earlier this week that the estimated �2.4bn cost of building the Olympic park had risen by �900m.

At the same time, the costs of regenerating the run-down area of east London where the games are being held has gone up by �1.5bn.
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Mr Livingstone admitted that further costs were 'inevitable' as they had not yet factored in inflation.

But he insisted all the extra money would be recouped and the games would make a profit.

He said: 'It is not Alice In Wonderland.

'Nothing's a mess. Everything's going exactly according to plan.

'These games will make a profit.

'We are buying land now, we are doing it up. It will be sold for the construction of housing and employment immediately after the games so this money will come back in.'"

Transport Briefing — Public transport developments and project news: "Transport for London finance supremo quits
Filed 23/11/06

Transport for London has announced that Jay Walder, the organisation's managing director for finance and planning for the last six years, will leave at the end of February next year to join the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company as a partner.

The departure of one of its most senior staff will come as a blow for TfL. Walder is credited with securing a landmark funding settlement from the government's 2004 Spending Review that has formed the basis of TfL's five-year, �10bn investment plan and allowed TfL to borrow money to undertake projects such as the East London Line extension._

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: 'Jay has made a huge contribution to transport in London. His financial expertise unlocked the biggest investment in London's transport in the last 50 years. Over his six years at TfL he has identified �1.26bn of efficiency savings through to 2009/10, which we are able to plough back into improving services, and has helped win for TfL the rating of 'excellent' from the Audit Commission.

'He also successfully introduced the Oyster smartcard, which gives millions of Londoners easier, faster journeys. We will be sorry to see him go, but Jay's work at TfL has broken the cycle of short-term stop-start investment and means London's transport system faces the future in a much healthier state.'

Walder's decision to quit follows his failure to secure the top London transport job succeeding transport commissioner Bob Kiley last year. The position was awarded to Peter Hendy.

Hendy said: 'Jay joined TfL just after it was created and has been a key figure in turning it into an organisation that is respected around the world for its record of delivery and innovation. Jay's experience at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York, allied with his experience as an academic and financier, meant he was the perfect person to lead on issues such as transport plans for the Olympics, major investment projects such as Crossrail, and TfL's long-term strategic plans.'

Jay Walder said: 'TfL has been an extremely rewarding experience. I am grateful to the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone for inviting me to join TfL. The last six years have been a fantastic opportunity. I am delighted that I will continue to live in London in my new role at McKinsey and watch as the transport network benefits from the investment now flowing in.'"

MayorWatch� | Ken's Trip Cost 36,000GBP: "Ken's Trip Cost 36,000GBP
First Published: Monday 13 November 2006

Ken Livingstone's trip to Cuba and aborted journey to Venezuela cost Londoners almost �36,000 according to figures released to the Assembly today.

Costs for the the Mayor and four staff to stay in Cuba were approximately �20,000 which included �16,991 for flights. The officials continued on to Venezuela at a cost of �16,000 including �12,948 on flights.

Defending the trips the Livingstone said 'Since I was first elected in 2000, I have spent an average of just ten days a year - less than 3% of the time - on mayoral trips abroad.

'Given that Cuba plays a central role in the international Olympic and sporting movement, particularly in fields like boxing, the costs of my visit to Cuba are modest and in line with the costs incurred on other mayoral trips.'

'Similarly, the costs of the advance trip by key staff to Venezuela to prepare for the visit were also modest.'

The figures were published after demands from the London Assembly to reveal costs of the trip to Cuba and Mr Livingstone's cancelled journey to Venezuela the Mayor's office."

Public sector chiefs pay outrage | Metro.co.uk: "Public sector chiefs pay outrage
Friday, November 3, 2006

Money

Campaigners hit out at 'City salaries' for public sector bosses after revealing the 10 highest earners were paid 40 times the salary of a rookie nurse or police officer.

Figures compiled by the TaxPayers' Alliance showed there were three seven-figure pay packages and 60 more individuals picking up �250,000 or more a year.

And they showed that the top dozen earners in the NHS were getting an average �183,000 a year each - nearly 10 times the starting salary for a nurse.

The Alliance added together details of salary, bonuses, incentive plans, benefits-in-kind and, in certain cases, pension contributions as recorded in official publications.

Top of the rich list was Bob Kiley, who was paid �1,146,425 as Mayor of London Ken Livingstone's transport supremo.

He received a unprecedented public sector settlement worth nearly �2 million when he quit the post in January and remained a �3,200-a-day consultant."